Haryana Exit Poll 2024: Congress Confident Of ‘Thumping Majority’, BJP Says Predictions Will Be ‘Proved Wrong’

Haryana Election Exit Poll 2024: As Exit polls predict an easy Congress victory in the elections, Congress leaders express confidence while the BJP remains defiant.

File Photo of Congress leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kumari Selja | Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini

Source : PTI

Several exit polls on Saturday predicted a decisive win for the Congress in the Haryana Assembly elections, forecasting a clear majority for the party in the 90-member house.  In contrast, most exit polls also indicated a higher tally for the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) than for the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), with several suggesting the former could win up to 10 seats.

Reacting to these exit polls, Congress leader Kumari Selja expressed confidence in forming the government. Speaking to ABP News, she stated, "We are forming the government in Haryana with an absolute majority." Selja attributed the party's strong performance to three main factors: Rahul Gandhi's efforts across India and his Bharat Jodo Yatras, the anti-incumbency factor against the BJP for 10 years, and the hard work of the Congress' grassroots workers.

WATCH | तमाम सर्वे के आंकड़े साफ इशारा कर रहे हैं कि हरियाणा में कांग्रेस की वापसी हो रही है, इसे आप किस तरह से देखती हैं?

देखिए, @SavalRohit की कांग्रेस सांसद @Kumari_Selja के साथ EXCLUSIVE बातचीत

'महा' EXIT POLLhttps://t.co/smwhXURgtc#ExitPoll #JammuKashmirElections… pic.twitter.com/gh0q12UFfA

— ABP News (@ABPNews) October 5, 2024

When asked about the chief ministerial candidate, she commented, "CM will be decided by the Congress high command... Kumari Selja could be one of the names in consideration. Only time will say who will be CM."

Amid speculation of rivalry between her and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, she downplayed any tension, saying, "We both are senior-most. So it's natural that our names are coming up."

Former CM Bhupinder Hooda expressed confidence in a Congress victory as he told news agency ANI, "I have been saying this since we started campaigning that there is a wave in favour of Congress. Congress will form a government with a thumping majority...The main factor was our achievements from 2005-2014 and the failure of the BJP government from 2014-2024- corruption and non-performance. We will work on unemployment, education and security..."

#WATCH | Congress leader & former CM Bhupinder Hooda says, "I have been saying this since we started campaigning that there is a wave in favour of Congress. Congress will form a government with a thumping majority...The main factor was our achievements from 2005-2014 and the… pic.twitter.com/y6usGgOtVg

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2024

Regarding the top post, he remarked, "It (CM post) is everyone's right...This is democracy. Whatever decision the High Command takes we will accept this...She (Kumari Selja) is our senior leader..."

‘Exit Poll Will Be Proved Wrong’: BJP's Anil Vij On Predictions Of Congress Win In Haryana Election

On the other hand, the BJP remains defiant amid the exit poll projections with party's senior leader saying that the predictions will be "exposed" on result day.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini dismissed the findings, asserting, "BJP will form the government with full majority. We are confident."

#WATCH | Kurukshetra | Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini says, "BJP will form the government with full majority. We are confident." pic.twitter.com/C91KEWtj0Q

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2024

BJP leader and former Haryana minister Anil Vij, who is contesting from the Ambala Cantt Assembly seat, echoed a similar sentiment, stating, "This exit poll has been done many times, it was done in Lok Sabha and it will be done again...BJP is winning in Haryana and BJP will form the government." He told news agency ANI, "Exit poll ki pol pehle bhi khul chuki hai [Exit polls have been exposed earlier as well]. People are still casting their votes...Exit poll will be proved wrong and the BJP will form government. On October 8, BJP will form government."

#WATCH | Haryana: On Exit polls, BJP candidate from Ambala Cantt Assembly seat Anil Vij says, "Exit poll ki pol pehle bhi khul chuki hai'. People are still casting their votes and people are standing in line. The last person is yet to cast the vote. The total percentage has not… pic.twitter.com/nfcyd609SA

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2024

BJP state president Mohanlal Badoli also criticised the exit polls, stating, "No matter what the exit polls say, the BJP will form the government for the third time with a majority." He further remarked, "Bhupinder Hooda will be happy for two days, but after that, the government will be formed under the leadership of Nayab Singh Saini."

Meanwhile, a Congress candidate from Panchkula, Chander Mohan, told ANI, "Congress will win 70 seats and BJP will get 17. We will form a government with full majority."

AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, in his reaction to the projections, told PTI, "There was a wave in Haryana for the past six months that this time, BJP will be cleaned off from the state. Exit polls show the same, and we believe that Congress will win even more seats than predicted in Haryana and form a government with a good majority."

Haryana Election Exit Poll 2024

According to 'Dainik Bhaskar', the Congress is projected to win 44-54 seats, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to secure 15-29 seats. The Republic-Matrize exit poll placed the Congress tally even higher, estimating 55-62 seats for the party compared to the BJP's 18-24. The Red Mike-Datansh exit poll suggested a similar trend, giving Congress 50-55 seats and BJP 20-25. Dhruv Research projected Congress to bag 50-64 seats, leaving BJP with 22-32, and Peoples' Pulse exit poll predicted 49-60 seats for Congress, with BJP's count at 20-32.

As the final results will be revealed on October 8, the exit polls have set the stage for a high-stakes political battle in the state. The Congress is hoping to dethrone the ruling BJP and the latter is banking on the actual results to defy predictions.